FPSC Scam Alert
Don’t be a target! Fighting back against scammers who impersonate utilities, the Florida
Public Service Commission warns consumers about recent scams and how to avoid them!
Here are examples of utility scams occurring in Florida and nationwide:
Scammers target utility customers with e-mails that appear to be monthly bills from
legitimate utilities. These e-mails are bogus and may contain a link directing a
consumer to a site containing malware.
PHONE scam
Posing as official utility employees, scammers demand immediate “past due
payments” with a prepaid credit card or MoneyPak card to prevent service
disconnection. The scammers also use fake telephone numbers that could appear
on a caller ID to be from your local utility. These calls are not from your utility
company. Utilities never call and ask for credit card information and do not ask for
your personal information unless you initiate the contact.
Nationwide, scammers advised utility customers that a third party--in most
cases the Federal Government or President Obama--would pay their utility bills
through a new federal program. Consumers are contacted via telephone, fliers,
social media and text messages, and various other means with claims that the
President is providing credits or applying payment to utility bills. To receive the
money, scammers claim to need the consumer’s Social Security Number (SSN)
and financial institution routing and account numbers. In return, consumers
are given a fraudulent routing number to use to pay their utility bills through an
automated telephone service. The payment service initially seems to accept the
payment, but then declines it upon finding that the banking information is invalid.
The consumer’s bill has not been paid, and his/her SSN and personal financial
information have been compromised.
A recent scheme aggressively targets utility customers to offer energy audits.
Scammers--posing as utility employees or approved utility contractors--allegedly try
to conduct home energy audits to sell energy-related services or equipment. Utilities
do not call or visit their customers to solicit home energy surveys or audits, unless
a customer requests an audit and prearranges a time. The Florida Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services filed legal action to stop this scheme in Florida.
Here are some general ways to
protect yourself against utility-related scams:
Never allow anyone into your home to check electrical wiring, natural
gas pipes, or appliances unless you have scheduled an appointment
or reported a problem. Also, ask the employee/contractor for proper
identification.
If a caller claims to be from your utility company and you are pressured
for immediate payment or personal information, hang up and call the
customer service number on your utility bill for information.
Do not allow representatives into your home if you feel suspicious,
unsure, or confused as to why they are there.
Never provide your Social Security Number, credit card number, or
banking information to anyone who calls you, regardless of whom
they claim to be representing.
Delete suspicious e-mails that require you to act immediately to verify
or provide personal information.
Delete any e-mails from utilities/companies with whom you’re not a
customer.
Do not respond to suspicious e-mails. Responding often results in
even more spam and scam attempts directed at you.
Think safety first, always! Do not give in to high pressure tactics for
information over the phone or in person.